Encyclopedia of Southern Jewish Communities - Amite, Louisiana

In eastern Louisiana, Levi Stern founded a successful department store. The city in which he lived, Amite, was incorporated in 1861, after Louisiana seceded from the Union. Its name, depending on who you ask, comes either from the Choctaw word meaning “red ant” or from the French, meaning “friendship.” Its history during its first decade was certainly more in keeping with the former translation. Heavy family feuds during Reconstruction earned Amite the nickname, “Bloody Tangipahoa.” In 1869, Amite officially became the parish seat of Tangipahoa.

Stories of the Jewish Community in Amite

Levi SternOver the years, there have been several Jewish families in Amite, including the Finkelstein, Saltz, Rosen, and Ball families, but the history of Jews in Amite is the history of Levi Stern writ large.

Levi Stern was born in a small German village in 1828. As a youngster, he came to America with his parents, seeking freedom and opportunity. During the Civil War, he enlisted and fought for his adopted homeland, the Confederacy. After the war ended, he operated a clothing store in New Orleans for a short while, but soon found the city overrun by Northern profiteers. It is unknown precisely why Stern decided to settle in Amite, but its relatively quiet and underdeveloped nature may have enticed his ambitions. In 1870, Stern founded what was to become the largest department store in all of Tangipahoa. His store, called B. Stern Company, was the economic center of the predominantly agricultural Amite for over a century. When he passed away in 1888, Levi Stern was buried in Amite.

The Stern FamilyFollowing his death, Levi's son David served as president of B. Levi Co. until 1905. David’s wife, Bertha, ran the store from 1912-1935, at which time it came under the control of Bernard H. Stern (the son of Ben H. Stern and Dora Gainsburgh Stern). During World War I, Bernard served as a Major in the United States Army, fighting in the European theater. Times had certainly changed. For one thing, at the turn of the century, farming in Tangipahoa parish was a one-crop venture: cotton. By the end of World War II, dairy farms had begun to replace cotton farms in Tangipahoa. The store, which had never been small, continued to grow. By 1945, the store employed 64 people. The local newspapers reported that Stern’s managers and employees were all active in war bond campaigns.

Another significant event of the early 1940s was the advent of a Stern tradition called “Toyland.” Each year in late October, the small building next to Stern’s department would be converted into a Christmas wonderland, replete with trees and toys. Standing on the sidewalk for hours on end with their noses pressed against the glass, people came from near and far to see Stern’s windows. This tradition continued until the late 1980s, when B. Stern closed. The store was torn down in 1992, after more than 120 years in existence. The store was an Amite institution. According to the local newspaper, B. Levi Co. always kept up with the times. Throughout its tenure, for example, the store always strove to have the newest models of cash registers. In a feat of marketing and honesty, the goods were always displayed clearly and appealingly. The selection in the store’s multiple departments was always ample. The store benefited from improving industry and technology; its fleet of trucks allowed better quality goods to ship more easily, and its enormous neon signs attracted customers from near and far.

The Jewish Community in Amite Today

Amite was never a significant Jewish community. In 1937, only 15 Jews lived in town. This small group never established a congregation. Nevertheless, thanks to Levi Stern and his descendants, Jews have left their mark on this small town in eastern Louisiana.